Abstract

Abstract

Background:Photovoltaic technology provides an environmentally friendly alternative for generating electricity  without harming our fragile ecosystems. To reduce the high production costs associated with silicon-based solar  cells, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are increasingly being explored.Methodology: In this study, dye
sensitized ZnxSnyOz thin films were deposited on glass substrates using the spray pyrolysis technique. Dye  extracts were obtained from the leaves of Tectona grandis. Film deposition was carried out at substrate  temperatures of 50°C, 100°C, and 150°C. The influence of zinc ions and the Tectona grandis leaf extract on the  optical and solid-state properties of the thin films was investigated.Results:The absorbance of the undoped SnO  thin films across the different substrate temperatures ranged between approximately 0.1 and 0.7, with  absorbance generally increasing with temperature and peaking at 150°C. Both undoped and Zn²⁺-doped SnO  thin films exhibited an average transmittance above 90% at 350 nm. Enhanced optical transmission at 625 nm was observed in the dye-doped samples. The dye-doped films also displayed reduced band gaps, ranging from 
1.55 eV to 1.83 eV, in contrast to the Zn²⁺-doped films, which ranged from 1.60 eV to 2.20 eV. XRD analysis revealed that Zn-doped SnO films had relatively low peak intensities compared to undoped SnO films. Conclusion:The findings demonstrate that incorporating the dye shifts the fundamental absorption edge of the undoped SnO thin films, effectively enabling band gap tuning for potential optoelectronic applications.